Masquerade
by reminiscent-afterthought
Summary: AU. A dance is coming up, Zoe's got herself a mystery date. At the same time, JP's fights with a hopeless crush, Takuya can't sort out his feelings for the blonde, Tommy's preparing for his brother's marriage and Koji's about to get the shock of his life.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Notes

This is a pseudo-cross with seasons 1-3, namely friends and dates and the likes. Focuses primarily on the Frontier gang though.

This is probably my first attempt at a light romance, so if it kinda sucks or anything, just bear with me. I'm more of the darker type fic person, but I can't get _too_ comfortable in my plate, can I? Rhetorical question, so don't answer.

I know Japanese junior high schools are from years seven to nine, but it sort of messes the freedom with characters in season one and two, so I've made it six to nine and adjusted some of the ages. I'll put the grades at the end of the fic, ie. at the post author's note of chapter six. But most of the characters are in junior high. Yutaka and his currently mystery fiancé are probably the only two mentioned that aren't.

Anyway, enjoy and tell me what you think.

* * *

><p><span>Masquerade<span>

AU. An interesting encounter has lead to Zoe having a mystery date to the dance. At the same time, JP's struggling with a hopeless crush, Takuya can't sort out his feelings for the blonde, Tommy's getting ready for his brother's marriage and Koji's about to get the shock of his life and thensome...

Izumi O/Zoe & Takuya K

Rating: T

Genre/s: Family/Romance

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 1<span>

Zoe Orimoto grinned, tacking up the last poster she held, before clambering down the ladder and taking a new batch from a fellow member on the dance committee.

'You're turn,' she said, pointing to their next destination, the cafeteria doors.

Kari Kamiya groaned good naturedly. 'So I'm the scapegoat when the boys start staring.'

'Yep,' the blonde said brightly, handing over the remaining tacks with her free hand. 'Because then your older brother can beat them up.'

The brunette grimaced slightly at the thought. 'You're not the one who has to lessen his resemblance to a bag of meat.'

'True, but I am the defenceless one.'

'You? Defenceless? Never.'

The two friends shared a laugh, before Kari aligned the next poster on the double doors. She gave the setup a critical eye, before adjusting the paper slightly and tacking it into place.

Zoe gave it a critical eye herself; now that she didn't have her nose to it, she could see the work of art a whole lot better. 'You and Takato sure did a good job on it,' she complimented, causing the petite brunette to blush slightly under the praise.

'It was your idea,' the other said modestly.

'But you two made it happen. He's going with Jeri?'

'Of course. Those two have been inseparable since fourth grade.'

'And you?'

'And me what?'

The blonde rolled her eyes, pointing at the poster the other had just tacked up. 'You're not planning to go to a dance, especially a masquerade, without a date were you? Got your eye on anyone?'

'No,' the other shook her head, trying to banish the blush. 'No-one in particular. But if someone asks, I'll probably go with them.'

''cause you're too nice to say no.'

Kari simply moved onto the next poster.

* * *

><p>The posters went up during fourth period, so at lunch, the corridors and open areas were swarmed with students reading the details...unless one had the fortune of knowing a committee member, in which case they simply sat on a deserted patch of lawn and got information right from the source.<p>

'You did a great job on this Zoe,' JP praised. 'Two periods, and it's already the talk of the school. How'd you get permission?'

Zoe smiled, the smile she always reserved for her friends, though both knew the ninth grader had been hoping for something else. 'A little girl power and a lot of support,' she replied. 'Even Chiaki had to agree.'

Koji scowled from where he had spread himself on the lush grass. 'Will you two ever stop your stupid cat fight?'

'Probably when you and Takuya stop your dog one,' the girl flared back, causing JP to laugh.

'She got you there buddy,' he grinned.

'Shut up,' the other growled, sitting up.

Takuya, for once not being a part of the actual squabble, wisely said nothing as their eldest brunette quailed under the other's glare. But he caught himself from getting _too_ wrapped up in Zoe's amusement at the exchange.

'Takuya, what are you looking at?' Tommy asked curiously, staring at his surrogate older brother and snapping him out of his...err, distraction. Yeah, that was it.

'Nothing,' he said hurriedly. 'So...anyone going?'

'Not me,' the youngest sighed, as the other two boys finally broke their staring contest. 'Yutaka's getting married the day after. It'll be chaos at our house.'

'Oh yeah,' Zoe remembered. 'You told us about that.' She paused, almost guiltily, before adding. 'That was the only day we could get the hall.'

'That's okay,' he smiled. 'You guys are all still coming to the wedding, right?'

'Of course,' they all assured. 'Shinya too,' Takuya added. 'Unless he catches a last minute stomach virus like he did for my birthday.'

The goggle-wearing brunette scowled slightly at the memory, even though he knew his little brother hadn't done that on purpose.

Tommy shuddered. 'My brother will kill me if I did that. And if he doesn't, his fiancé will.'

'You have to admit,' the blonde laughed. 'They're a good match. Opposites attract.'

'I never thought my brother would wind up in a cliché.'

They all shared a laugh at that, save Koji who managed to crack a smile at best, before Takuya got back onto the original topic.

'So, anyone else want to go?'

The raven shrugged nonchalantly, while the others nodded, prompting JP to immediately turn to the girl across from him.

'Hey, Z, will you go to the dance with me?'

'If you're trying to be a poet,' Zoe sighed. 'That's a pretty hopeless job.'

JP's face fell.

'Besides,' she continued. 'You'd be happier with someone who liked you the same way you liked them.'

'Not even as friends?' he pleaded.

'No.'

The others let a little collective wince, before shifting topics again.

'Masks anyone?'

Takuya grinned. 'Dragon for me.'

'Fairy,' the blonde sighed dreamily. 'Or a really graceful bird. Like a swan...or not a swan.'

'Yeah, swans wouldn't suit you.'

'Is that supposed to be a compliment?'

'Oh oh,' Tomoki muttered under his breath, opening his mouth to interrupt the conversation.

Or he would have, if they hadn't caught the argument a few feet away.

'Rika and Ryo,' Zoe laughed, earlier snit with Takuya forgotten, looking at the brunette artist and his girlfriend trying anxiously to stop the red-head from murdering her admirer (figuratively speaking of course), while Kazu Shioda watched in amusement. 'I'm guessing Ryo asked her to the dance.'

'Come on pumpkin,' he tried again, loud enough to be heard now that no-one was talking.

'Like hell,' the fiery girl shot back, sharp purple glaring at the playful brunette.

'Why?' he teased, throwing a challenge to the winds and knowing she won't back down. 'Think you can get yourself another date?'

Rika Nonaka scowled. 'Of course I can,' she flared. 'Just watch me.'

Ryo Akiyama shot her a cocky look. 'I'll give you ten minutes.'

'I only need five,' the girl rebuked, thanking the lucky starts (not that she would admit it) that one of the few boys she would even consider going to a dance of all things with in order to save her pride happened to be sitting nearby, before walking over.

'Hey, Minamoto,' she snapped. 'Pick me up at seven.'

If Koji was surprised, he didn't show it, simply shrugging as if he didn't care. 'Fine.'

'Fine,' the girl repeated, before turning on her heel to throw her triumph in Ryo's face, not noting the slight shock and sadness in the said expression.

Zoe laughed again, as the chatter picked up. 'That'll save you from fangirls,' she grinned at her black haired friend.

'That's the only reason why I agreed,' the other scowled, lying back down again. 'She's at least tolerable.'

'Oh I'm sure, and pride on both parts had nothing to do with it.'

Koji just grunted and closed his eyes.

'Oh, you're impossible.'

They were used to it though, having been friends since fifth grade. And out of their little gang, Koji Minamoto was probably the one to have changed the least.

Little did they know, that was about to change.

* * *

><p>'So, you're going with Meng Poi?' Zoe asked, once she and Kari started their trek home. The two generally walked together, sometimes with the brunette's elder brother when he didn't hang back to play soccer with someone, but otherwise alone till they reached their forking point.<p>

'Yep,' Kari affirmed. 'He was really nice too.'

'Well...I suppose it could have been worse,' the blonde sighed. 'Though I would have expected TK to ask you.'

'Oh no,' the girl sighed, sounding slightly wistful. 'He's taking his cousin Catherine. She's visiting from France.'

'You wanted him to though.'

'What? No I didn't.' Unfortunately, the red taint on her cheeks gave her away.

'Did too,' the half-Italian sang in a sing-song voice.

'Did not.'

'Did too.'

'Did not.'

And they continued like that till they parted their separate ways.

Zoe continued down the main road, flicking her hair away from her face as it attempted to obscure her vision, before simply enjoying the relatively new sites. She had lived in Italy before moving to Japan when she was seven, before moving back when she was eleven and returning at the beginning of this school year. Things tended to change over such periods, but luckily, the relative layout of the district was still the same.

She spied Koji hurrying off to another kendo lesson...well, as hurrying as he would allow himself to do if there wasn't anything particularly urgent, but nothing else of interest as she resumed to looking at subtle changes to the neighbourhood-

-until someone suddenly rounded the corner and crashed right into her.

'I-I'm sorry,' a vaguely familiar voice stuttered, as its owner helped her up. 'I just-'

He evidently wasn't paying attention to who he had knocked over, looking frantically across the street as though he had lost someone.

And perhaps he had, for he suddenly sighed and sagged slightly. 'Never mind, I-'

He was forced to let that statement go as his right leg chose that moment to give out on him, catching himself on a picket fence of some random house they happened to be standing by.

Zoe was still staring at the boy, wondering why he looked familiar, and the said boy returned the favour, until it suddenly clicked.

'Zoe? When did you get back?'

'I could ask you the same thing,' the girl huffed, crossing her hands. 'You haven't rung in four months. Aren't you supposed to be in Mexico, and _what_ did you do to your leg?'

'Long story,' the other sighed, wincing slightly as he straightened his leg, before transferring his weight onto it. 'Things have been a little hectic.'

'Well...' the blonde paused for a moment, before looking around herself. 'Were you chasing someone?'

'No.' The other frowned lightly, gazing across the street again. 'Trying to meet someone.'

'You still owe me an explanation, so how about you come to my house, 'kay?'

The other thought about it for a minute, and then agreed.

'I'll need to call Rosa first,' he pointed out though.

'Girlfriend?' Zoe teased.

'Just a friend.' And there was no blush to betray him, so she assumed he was telling the truth. 'I'm staying with her parents for the time being.'

Still, she could tease. Especially since he owed him for the long call of absence.

'What's with that look?'

'What look?' she blinked innocently, causing the other to lightly roll his eyes, though somehow managing to keep his almost cherubic expression.

'Don't try that innocent look on me. You know it doesn't work.'

She shrugged, before grabbing the other's hand and pulling him along.

'True enough.'


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Notes

Well, we've got a vote for Ken. Any more takers on Zoe's mystery date? Or Yutaka's fiancé? That one you'll all find out in the next chapter. But you'll have to wait for the dance in chapter 4 for Zoe's date.

I was trying to squeeze a bit more JP into this chapter, but seriously, how do you write a guy with a hopeless crush failing to get a date in more than a couple of sentences anyway? That part was really not my forte. Actually, this entire fic is out of my comfort zone...I guess that's why it's so amusing to write up.

Apart from that, enjoy.

* * *

><p><span>Masquerade<span>

AU. An interesting encounter has lead to Zoe having a mystery date to the dance. At the same time, JP's struggling with a hopeless crush, Takuya can't sort out his feelings for the blonde, Tommy's getting ready for his brother's marriage and Koji's about to get the shock of his life and thensome...

Izumi O/Zoe & Takuya K

Rating: T

Genre/s: Family/Romance

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 2<span>

'You got a date,' Chiaki Ishikawa scoffed, putting on a scorning face although most of her was rather disappointed at another black mark against her by her archrival.

'Sure did.' Zoe, on the other hand, was beaming radiantly, ready to milk her victory for all it was worth.

'Well,' the brunette said impatiently. 'Who is it? Some poor guy you had to beg?'

The blonde's grin widened. 'Actually no. He's not even from this school, so you won't know him.'

'Some random of the street then?' But she was losing confidence. If she had a date outside of school, then the guy must have meant something to her.

'Hardly. In fact, he's the guy I first kissed.'

* * *

><p>'You've got a date?' Takuya asked, somehow inexplicably down after hearing that. It wasn't like <em>he<em> had wanted to ask her...well, as anything more than friends, but suddenly realising there was another boy their age in his only female best friend's life seemed a little...startling. Yes, startling, that was it.

'Of course,' Zoe laughed. 'I'm not telling who though.'

'Why not?' Tomoki asked curiously.

She mock-thought a moment. 'I promised my date, that's why,' she replied.

The brunette couldn't help but let a frown envelop his face, caught by JP who was disappointed that she had accepted another date while turning his down. 'How do we know if he's any good then? For all we know-'

The blonde suddenly turned angry. 'I've known him since I was seven,' she growled. 'Which if I may point out is four years longer than I've known you lot.'

'She's got a point,' Kouji pointed out reasonably. 'Why does it matter anyway? She's free to chose who she wants to go to a dance with and who she dates-'

He cut off as the brunette choked on the soda he was drinking. 'You guys are _dating?_'

'I never said that,' Zoe said, green eyes blinking in confusion, before her mouth made a small 'o' of understanding, along with an inward groan.

That was the problem of having mostly male friends.

* * *

><p>'You think Takuya's got a crush on you?' Kari asked, sounding amused. 'Because he's making a big deal about your mystery date.'<p>

'Either that, or he's turning into a totally overprotective older brother,' Zoe sighed. 'And he's not even my brother.'

'Just a male friend,' the petite brunette agreed. 'Tai isn't that bad anyway. Though I would have told him who my date was.'

'I can't, because then he'll tell-'

'Tell who?'

'...can't say.'

'Oh?' she raised an eyebrow. 'Why not?'

'Because you'll tell Tai, he'll tell someone, and Takuya will eventually hear about it. Point is, neither of those two can keep a secret, and I don't think it's fair to ask you to keep a secret from your brother.'

'Hmm...okay, I'll bite.' Kari grinned. 'You can give me the juicer details though, can't you? Sora told me he's your first kiss.'

Green eyes rolled in exasperation. 'Word sure gets around fast. It was spin the bottle. The others made him re-spin after he landed on himself, and being the shy but amiable guy he is, unless you insult a friend or family member, he did it. He's also dead clumsy.'

'Second kiss?'

'No. And you hang around Mimi too much.'

Kari laughed at that. 'Speaking of Mimi, she's going with Ryo. He asked her yesterday afternoon, and she's been the stars ever since.'

'You're kidding? After Rika turned him down like that?'

'Yep.'

'I wonder why.'

The brunette shrugged. 'Maybe he's hoping to dance with her in the masquerade. I seriously doubt he gave up.'

'Why Mimi though? And why did she agree?'

'Oh, you know Mimi. Ryo's like one of the guys on the market. Most girls would love to go out of him on any sort of date, even if it is a dance.'

'True, true.' She grinned suddenly. 'Speaking of lookers, what about your brother?'

'Tai?'

'No, your other brother,' Zoe said sarcastically, causing Kari to giggle before answering.

'Actually, he's not going. Doesn't want to be caught trying to dance with two left feet. And on the subject of left feet, can your date dance?'

'Sure can,' Zoe grinned. 'He had one heck of a grandmother, taught him everything from cooking to ice-skating and almost everything in between. He's just a klutz when it comes to stairs and strangers.'

Kari giggled again, before putting on her serious face. 'So, what are you going to do? It's bad enough when half the male population of our grade, including Ryo, seem to like your looks, but another friend as well?'

'It it was about how I looked, he would be like JP,' the blonde pointed out.'

'Which you weren't bothered about enough to ask my advice,' Kari pointed out. 'So...do you have a crush on him?'

Zoe blushed.

'Hah, you do.'

Uncharacteristically, the brunette dissolved into a bout of giggles. It was rather rare to see Zoe blushing.

'No I don't.'

'Too late.' Kari was enjoying this way too much. 'You are _so_ in denial.'

'As if I'd fall for an infuriating boisterous bossy hard-headed...aargh.' She threw her hands up in exasperating, giving up on the list.

'You obviously have, otherwise you wouldn't be making such a big deal over it.'

'Since when were you the love expert anyway?'

'As you said, hanging around too much with Mimi.'

'Besides, he's too thick-headed to know what he's feeling anyway,' the plighted girl groaned, truly in fact.

Kari however picked up on her first slip. 'Hah, you just admitted it.'

Zoe groaned again. 'Someone get me out of this situation.'

Nope, not happening.

'So, how are you going to wow him at the masquerade? Got any plans on winning his heart?'

'...Mimi's created a monster.'

'Actually, that was more Sora's influence. But then again, she has known me since before I was in diapers.'

'Kari! Mental image!'

It was bad enough the girl carried a camera around her neck.

'...though you do have a point about Takuya. He's worse than my brother.'

* * *

><p>JP groaned, looking at the two girls walking away, before rounding on Koji strolling leisurely behind him. 'How'd you get a date so fast?' he groaned.<p>

'Skill,' the martial artist responded sarcastically, causing Takuya to almost choke on his laughter, having missed the sarcasm.

'Or afraid of getting your butt kicked by a girl,' he teased.

'I'm not above hitting girls if they ask for it and can take it,' the other growled. 'You don't give them enough credit.'

'Isn't that a social stigma?' JP blinked, momentarily forgetting his data predicament.

'Hardly,' Koji snorted. 'If you can't fight against a woman, then you'll wind up in a lot of trouble. They can be rather manipulative.'

'Oh, and how do you know that?'

'Sparring,' was the flat reply.

'So you did get beaten by a girl.'

'Stop assuming goggle-brain.'

Takuya grinned. 'You just don't want to admit it, do you?'

'Like you don't want to admit you have a crush on a certain someone?'

The smirk caught both brunettes of guard, Takuya especially.

'What?' he spluttered, suddenly going red. 'I do not.'

'Why are you going red then?'

'Because it's such an implausible concept. I don't have a crush on _anyone_.'

'Implausible?' Koji raised an amused eyebrow, before exchanging a glance with JP. 'Didn't think such a large word made it in to your vocabulary. And this non-existent crush wouldn't by any chance happen to be like the one you had on Sora when you were eight?'

If possible, Takuya went even redder. 'How'd you find out about that? We only met when we were ten!'

Another one of his infuriating smirks greeted him. 'Cody.'

'Say what?'

'Cody. Cody Hida. His grandfather runs the dojo downtown and he's good friends with TK and Davis.'

'And TK's brother and Davis' idol are good friends with Sora,' Takuya groaned. 'She didn't have to tell my embarrassing moments though.'

'Like that time you thought her hat was a soccer ball and kicked it around in the mud?'

'Koji! Honestly, you're in a right mood today. Besides, she said I liked her more like an older sister.'

But as the three split off to their separate classes, he couldn't help but wonder if he really was falling for his blonde friend. Koji was right; there was nothing embarrassing about that at his age.

Stupid hormones, never listening to the brain.

He shook his mop of hair, before opening the door. Honestly, a little experience would have been nice to go by.

'Takuya?' Misha's innocent voice broke his train of thoughts. 'Why are you blushing?'

Dammit...he was still blushing?

* * *

><p>Going home to chaos was starting to become a regular occurrence, but it still threw Tommy for a loop to see his normally level-headed brother running around in something akin to panic.<p>

'Yutaka?' he blinked, watching him trying to measure a kimono on himself...without the additional help they generally required. 'Where's Mum and Dad?'

'Problem with the reception hall,' Yutaka grunted, trying to tie the koshihimo over the underlayer of the kimono while keeping said underlayer in its current position. 'Can you help with this?'

'Sure.'

He was counting himself lucky he was simply the younger brother in the wedding. It wasn't nearly as hectic for him.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Notes

Nat-chan is actually not an OC, though not all of you may recognise the name. She's in one of the 02 CD dramas, The Door to Summer/Natsu e no Tobira, and while she is actually a digimon, she does appear in a human persona which Davis (when not knowing she was actually a digimon whose data was corrupted and in search for her true partner) dubbed her Nat-chan, which means summer. I still think they make a cute couple though. I've wanted to write a oneshot about them...but I can't seem to track down the actual CD drama to get more details.

As for Takuya's masks, the first is Flamon, the second is BurningGreymon. JP's mask is Beetlemon.

And for Rosa, her parents are rather lax, now that they know their daughter can take care of herself. I've upped her age to be the same as Zoe's. And the mask she was talking about isn't actually digimon related. I think the story of that also comes out in the dance. I mean, she _does_ have a Gotsumon for a digimon partner. And she was in jeans as opposed to a dress like Catherine (the French digidestined).

* * *

><p><span>Masquerade<span>

AU. An interesting encounter has lead to Zoe having a mystery date to the dance. At the same time, JP's struggling with a hopeless crush, Takuya can't sort out his feelings for the blonde, Tommy's getting ready for his brother's marriage and Koji's about to get the shock of his life and thensome...

Izumi O/Zoe & Takuya K

Rating: T

Genre/s: Family/Romance

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 3<span>

Takuya groaned, before flopping onto his sofa with a dragon mask in his hands. 'This isn't nearly as cool as I imagined it,' he complained, glaring at the offending mask which apparently hadn't lived up to his expectations.

Across from him, Tai Kamiya and Davis Motomiya burst into identical streams of laughter. 'Lucky for us we don't need to worry about this,' the elder commented.

Davis, beside him, rolled his eyes. 'Though of course, I think I'd rather have this than my sister going crazy about getting married. How'd she get a cool guy like Yutaka anyway. And I wanted to take Nat-chan.'

Both brunettes shrugged. 'I got invites from both sides too,' Takuya commented, throwing the mask aside. 'Younger brother's friend.'

'On both sides,' Tai agreed, chucking to himself, before turning to Davis. 'Just take Nat-chan to the formal.'

'Yeah,' the burgundy haired boy agreed. 'She wouldn't have been able to come anyway. She's in New York.' He paused, before glaring at Tai. 'I'm the only one who can call her Nat-chan.'

'_Sorry_.' Tai rolled his eyes lightly, before turning to glance at Takuya. 'You having better luck with girls?'

Takuya harrumphed. 'No.'

'Oh?' A brown eyebrow raised, before staring critically at the discarded mask. 'Honestly, that looks more like a cat than a dragon. You couldn't do any better?'

'You could?' the other shot back.

'Of course. That's why I'm here.'

'Oh, and I thought you just came to mooch and kick the ball around.'

The soccer captain lazily grinned. 'No way. I came to save Frankenstein's face.'

'Yeah, sure. Laugh it up. You're no better than me.'

'But I've got a fashion designer in the making as a girlfriend,' Tai reasonably pointed out. 'And she's all for setting her 'little brother' up with a certain chick.'

Takuya immediately jumped up, almost tripping on the carpet while Davis mock glared. 'Any reason why you couldn't enlist this help when I was trying to score a date with your sister?' the latter asked.

Tai simply grinned again, watching Takuya splutter out denials as gears turned. 'You two just weren't a match.'

'You _could_ have told me.'

'I did. You didn't listen.'

'...true.'

The two then turned to Takuya. 'Well,' Tai persisted. 'Ready to get the expert's advice and wow a girl's heart?'

'I do not have a crush on Zoe,' Takuya blurted out, before belatedly realising the slip.

'Who said Zoe's name?' The captain asked innocently, before turning to Davis. 'This,' he explained, pointing at the other brunette. 'Is a teenager hopelessly in love.'

'And you know...how?' Davis asked, over Takuya's mumbling (something about it being Koji's fault).

Tai held up his hands. 'I've got Sora.'

He then dug into his bag, pulling out a whiter, cooler dragon mask. 'Gift from Sora,' he said with a flourish, handing it over.

Takuya turned it over in his hands, impressed. Not only was it in good style, but it was a good quality mask as well. 'Neat,' he admitted, earning a thumbs up from Davis in approval as he slipped it on.

Unseen, a grin formed on his own face as he caught his reflection in the mirror.

One thing he had to admit, Sora really knew her stuff.

'Three more things,' Tai interrupted, before he could drift too far into the reflection.

'Oh?'

'One.' He raised all five fingers, before lowering one. 'She's arranged the rest of the outfit too. And it's got plenty of red, so no complaints.'

He gestured at the bag at his feet for emphasis, before continuing.

'Two.' He lowered another finger. 'Someone, whether that be one of us, Sora, Shinya or Koji, will skin you alive of you go with some random girl to the dance and not get along reasonably well with her, so I'm offering my girlfriend and not taking no for an answer. You know her well enough not to be awkward, and go as friends, capish?'

The glare that followed made Takuya nod his head in fervour. 'Of course Tai.'

He grinned again, ruffling the youngster's hair with his free hand, before lowering a third finger. 'Three. Sora says good luck on your first love.'

'I don't love any girl like that,' Takuya said flatly, and not nearly as flustered as he should have been if in denial.

Tai simply sighed and held his head. _Honestly, he's worse than Davis_.

'So, soccer?'

'Sure.'

* * *

><p>Junpei sighed, looking between his beetle mask and corset. 'Mask? Check,' he muttered to himself. 'Costume? Check. Flowers? Check. Date? No such luck.'<p>

One day left to the biggest night of the year, as far as junior high school went in any case, and he was still without a date. All the girls he knew reasonably well (and now that he thought about it, there weren't too many) already had dates of their own, and no other girl was even remotely interested in him.

He didn't get it. He was a good guy, wasn't he?

But as Mimi pointed out, girls sometimes liked the bad guys better. Hence why Koji was so much more popular.

Okay, so he was reasonably average on academics, and the only two things he was exceptionally good at was mechanics and magic tricks; he supposed girls simply weren't attracted to a mechanic in the making.

Or maybe he just hadn't found his dream girl yet.

But he really needed a date; being in his last year of junior high, it would be rather embarrassing to show up to such a large dance stag.

He looked at his mask, before sighing again.

Even his crush on Zoe seemed to disappear into some random plot hole. Was it too much to ask for to find someone, anyone (not necessarily a girlfriend) with whom he could spend time with and not find himself lacking?

Apparently, it was.

He put the mask on the bed, before grabbing his jacket. Maybe a slice of strawberry shortcake at the new cafe in the shopping complex would cheer him up.

* * *

><p>Rosa Hernandez ordered a cup Gyokuro, then looked around for an empty table in the small cafe. Small it was, but crowded, and eventually she had to make do with sharing a two-seat table with someone else.<p>

'May I sit here?' she asked (in Japanese), pointing to the empty seat across from JP.

The boy looked up from his shortcake, and nodded. 'Of course.'

She smiled, and sat, before giving him a scrutinising glance over the Styrofoam cup. The teenage boy figured he must have passed approval, because she took a sip from her drink and then lowered the cup.

'Into mechanics?' she asked, looking at the greasy overalls.

JP shrugged nonchalantly, though feeling a little hopeful on the inside. 'Sure. I like to fiddle around with whatever I can get my hands on. 'Batteries, electronic gadgets, bikes...play around with my old man's car sometimes.'

The girl across from him nodded, looking interested. 'He lets?'

JP nodded again. 'Only on something that won't affect driving performance. He doesn't want me messing up the steering by accident.'

'No,' the brunette agreed. 'Nor the brakes. My parents won't let me near our car.'

JP raised an eyebrow at this. 'You're into mechanics too?'

The girl grinned. 'Unfortunately, my line's at the bicycle. Or it was. Couldn't bring it from Mexico. So I just mess with my radio and alarm till I can salvage some stuff. I just moved in a few weeks ago...still haven't finished unpacking.'

'You're mexican? But your japanese is so good.'

'Gracias. I've got a japanese friend. He taught me in exchange for me teaching him spanish.'

The boy nodded, wondering why it was so much easier to talk to this stranger than it was to even talk with his friends. Perhaps it was the similar interests.

_'Your horoscope says you're going to be lucky in love this month.'_

_ 'Yeah Mum. Real corny.'_

Or perhaps not, as he looked at the girl across from him, dressed in faded jeans and a working shirt, brown ponytail tumbling down her shoulders and sharp eyes of the same colour regarding him with an interest he seldom saw.

'Do you like magic tricks?' he asked on a whim.

The girl considered. 'Sure. Can't do them though.'

JP grinned. 'Well, you've found the right person then. JP Shibiyama. Magician extraordinaire and mechanic in the making.'

'Rosa Hernandez,' the brunette female introduced herself, pondering a moment why the name sounded familiar, before putting her finger on it. 'Oh, you're one of Zoe's friends.'

'You know Zoe?'

Rosa laughed. 'Actually, I just met her today. She's a friend of my friend who's staying with us for the time being.'

'Oh...' JP pondered about that information for a moment, then decided to disregard it altogether. The others were right, and he had miraculously scored opportunity number two (or one, depending on how you looked at it. 'Do you want to come to the masquerade with me?' He blushed as soon as the words were out of his mouth, stumbling over the next phrase. 'I mean, so we can get to know each other better, and you can meet some of the other girls around-and guys-and, are you moving here permanently?'

'Yes and yes,' Rosa replied, resisting the urge to laugh again at the image the other presented. In a good way, but laughter had a habit of being misinterpreted. 'I'd love to go, and we're moving here permanently. I'll probably be going to your school too.'

She looked at her watch, before quickly downing the rest of her tea. 'I'll be late,' she gasped, feeling her throat burn at the sudden heat. 'My parents are expecting me home, since they're going out, but-' She looked a little reluctant to leave, before coming up with a solution. 'How about you come over for awhile? Zoe's over too.'

JP readily agreed. Though he got quite a shock when a boy (Zoe's date he assumed) opened the door.

'Not a word to anyone,' Zoe threatened from behind him, and JP agreed instantly, watching the blonde's face meld into confusion. 'What are you doing here anyway?'

'I invited him,' Rosa said, grinning from the back of the huddle in the doorway, before looking at her temporary brother. 'Can I borrow the lion mask? You're so much better at making masks than I am, and I don't have time to find a nice one.'

'Lion mask?' the addressed repeated, before looking between the pair. 'You're going to the masquerade with him?'

The girl grinned. 'Yep.'

'And you just met today?'

'_Please_, no older brother act. I'm older than you anyway. Besides, he's a friend of your friend, not some random guy off a cafe table.'

The boy raised an eyebrow at her.

'Well, maybe not the cafe table part,' Rosa amended.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Notes

Notes at the end.

Enjoy.

* * *

><p><span>Masquerade<span>

AU. An interesting encounter has lead to Zoe having a mystery date to the dance. At the same time, JP's struggling with a hopeless crush, Takuya can't sort out his feelings for the blonde, Tommy's getting ready for his brother's marriage and Koji's about to get the shock of his life and thensome...

Izumi O/Zoe & Takuya K

Rating: T

Genre/s: Family/Romance

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 4<span>

Zoe grinned behind her fairy mask, pulling herself and her partner out of the crowd for a breather. It was a great turnout, all things considered. Better than the previous year's dance in fact (though it hadn't been a masquerade). The added incentive appeared to be the masks...lots of matchmaking opportunities and chances for rather awkward conversations, seeing as only a few select people knew the identities of anyone past their own date.

That was excluding the Teenage Wolves, as they were rather famous for their style of music. And any fangirl could recognise Matt Ishida's voice on microphone even behind the cute wolf mask.

She had seen a colder wolf in the crowd, more white as opposed to the overall shades of blue for the guitarist and lead singer; Koji, she guessed. Who else was lone-wolfish enough to pick a lone-wolf? Especially as he was with yellow fox, who she knew to be Rika Nonaka. Surprisingly enough though, the two were actually dancing. Now how had that happened?

She spotted Rosa and JP dancing together as well, a mask from a not-so-cowardly lion from the wizard of Oz outfit on the Mexican girl's face with a warrior-type outfit to accompany it, while the brunette male impersonated a sturdy beetle. Lion and beetle may have looked rather odd, but the two seemed to be getting along great.

Speaking of Rosa, she was shouting out something in Spanish (or so she assumed), which caused the sphinx beside her to yell something back. Not that she understood the exchange.

'What'd she say?' the purple-haired fairy (she had temporarily dyed and gelled her blonde hair) asked curiously.

'She told me to hurry up and get a girlfriend,' her date replied, giving her the distinct impression that he was blushing under his mask.

Zoe couldn't help but laugh at that. 'Have you ever even gone on a date before?'

'Yeah...Rosa and I went on a double date with Ken and Yolei when they visited Mexico. I sent you the pictures remember?'

'Oh yeah...Rosa had a hopeless crush on him for a while, didn't she? How was Yolei?'

'Nice, but rather intimidating.'

'Intimidating is putting it rather mildly. They go way better together anyway. Shame they broke up.'

'They broke up?' the other asked in surprise. He hadn't known that.

'That's what happens when you don't call. She's with Henry now. The red bird.'

'I told you. I fell down the stairs and was in the hospital.'

'And then your aunt was in that accident. And then the custodial issues. I remember. I was just making a point.'

'Mmm...want to dance?' he asked, changing the topic as a new song started.

She shrugged. 'Sure.'

And now that she thought about it, she hadn't spotted Takuya around, though she had seen Sora as a graceful bird talking to a boy in a dragon outfit.

* * *

><p>Sora grinned beneath her mask as her surrogate little brother scanned the crowd. 'You find her?'<p>

Takuya nodded, pointing at the purple fairy dancing with a black sphinx. Black, it was necessary to mention, as there was a white sphinx floating around and currently dancing with an octopus.

'Well...' the bird, red as well but not as fiery as another bird he had passed, gave him a gentle push in that direction. 'Go fetch. But I'd wait till those two at least finish their dance.'

'Yeah, yeah...' Getting caught in the moment and the crowd, he had forgotten to deny.

And part of him really didn't want to. Maybe he really was tumbling heads over heals for the blonde.

He resisted the urge to pound his head against something. How did one know when they were in love anyway? Isn't there some sort of manual?

Nope. No such luck. He reached the pair winding up.

'Mind if I cut in?'

The sphinx scrutinised him carefully, before smiling. 'Sure, go ahead,' he replied, before whispering something to Zoe, who pointed him in another direction.

And Takuya took the other's arms, watching her look at him just as carefully, but without recognition.

'Relax,' he said. 'I do know how to dance.'

She blinked at him. 'Takuya?'

'Of course.'

'You...' Her voice caught, realising she had no idea of what she had been about to say.

'What am I?' the brunette asked in a sort of amusing embarrassment. 'Cute? Handsome? Dumb?'

'Impossible,' the girl shrilled, whacking him lightly before glaring at the outfit. 'You came with _Sora_?'

'Tai's fault,' Takuya explained, before getting a little flustered with the next statement as the two moved in rhythm. 'I really...wanted to ask you, but you were already going with someone else. And I had only figured that out last night.'

Zoe groaned, resisting the urge to face-palm her forehead. 'You are such an air-head,' she grounded out. 'Not that I was much better. I realised the next day.'

'We are a bunch of idiots, aren't we?'

The blonde-turned-purple whacked him.

'But you look great in that outfit. Cute, and um...I think I need a thesaurus.'

Zoe groaned again. 'You're hopeless at compliments.'

'Just add that to the list. On a completely different subject though, what happened to JP?'

Zoe pointed at the pair. 'He's found a new love. Mexican girl, who happens to me one of my date's best friends.'

'And he is..?'

'My best friend.'

'And you never mentioned him because..?'

'Actually I have. The one who moved to his mother's house in Germany a month before I met you guys? Then he moved to a cousin-aunt in Mexico after a year and a half when his grandmother died from cancer?'

Takuya thought for a moment. 'The one who's mum's sick?' he asked. 'And who hadn't rung or replied to your letters a few months ago.'

'Yep. That's the one.'

'What's he doing here?'

'Aunt died in an accident, so he came back here for the time being till the lawyers can sort out a new guardian. His mother is still his legal guardian, but she's in a medical coma now, so they have to wait till tomorrow when it should lift.'

Takuya's brow furrowed as the music changed again. 'Where's his father?'

Zoe quickly looked around for Koji, spotting a black dragonoid (presumably Ryo, she thought with some amusement) stealing Rika and leaving him without a girl as her own data made it through the crowd after the interruption of another date offer to his side. JP and Rosa joined them, and the four steered themselves over to the refreshments, thankfully on the other side of the hall.

'That's why I didn't tell,' she whispered into his ear. 'His parents divorced when he was a baby, and his father took his twin brother. Then when his mother got sick enough to be permanently stuck in the hospital, her lawyer went to him and he refused custody.'

'What's that got to do with-'

'Koji!' Zoe hissed. 'That boy, his name is Koichi. He's Koji's brother! His twin!'

'He's what?' the other gasped. 'Holy-'

He stopped at that, processing all the information. 'Does Koji know?'

'No,' the fairy shook her head, unconsciously leaning into his shoulder as the music wound down. 'Koichi may hate his father for that, but he wants to know his brother at least. He only found out about a month or two ago anyway.'

The two looked at the four, who were now involved in a conversation, before the lion and beetle abandoned the other pair for another dance.

'Can't blame him,' Takuya agreed. 'I can't imagine what it would be like if Shinya didn't know me.'

He looked back at Zoe, who looked worried. 'That's a family issue Z. Honestly, you've probably interfered enough. Koichi needs to talk to Koji on his own.'

'I just hope he doesn't put on his antisocial attitude.'

'Relax.' And before he even knew what he was doing, he kissed her.

The sound of a bird whistle caused him to suddenly jump away. 'Sorry,' he stuttered. 'I just-I-'

'Did you just kiss me?' Zoe asked, sounding shocked. 'And _apologize_?'

'Was I supposed to not do either of those?' Takuya asked back, confused.

Zoe groaned, before kissing him again. 'You idiot,' she murmured, before looking at the source of the whistle who had come up beside them. 'Was that necessary?'

Sora smirked. 'No, but it was entertaining. Mission success...for the time being. Don't mess it up.'

'Yes ma'am.' Takuya saluted, causing both girls to laugh and a stray skeleton to groan as he passed by. Probably wanted to ask the fairy for a dance, only to find her taken.

Oh well. There were more fish in the sea.

* * *

><p>Koji scowled over his cup, looking at a rather happy JP and two complete strangers, one in a lion mask and the other in the getup of a black sphinx who had steered him over to the refreshment tables.<p>

JP grinned beneath the mask. 'Lighten up Koji,' he said. 'By the way, this is Rosa Hernandez. She moved here from Mexico.'

'Mexico?' he asked, sounding a little between bored and interested.

The girl grinned beneath the lion plate. 'Yep. Mexico. So did he,' she inclined her head to the other boy. 'But he's originally Japanese.'

'Nice to meet you,' the boy bowed, but he didn't give a name, much to Koji's surprise.

'Name?'

He shook his head.

Koji had to smirk. This was interesting.

'We'll leave you two to talk,' the two brunettes said together, before vanishing into the crowd again.

The wolf turned his attention back to the sphinx, who was carefully looking at him.

'Are you Koji Minamoto?' he asked softly.

Koji raised an eyebrow. 'Yeah...what about it?'

The other boy shook his head, strands short blackish hair whipping out a little before returning to their original position. 'I've just been...wanting to meet you.'

'Meet me?' the wolf repeated, confusion and interest mounting. 'How do you know me anyway?'

'I...er...' the boy stuttered slightly, before trying to give a more coherent response. Only he had said it so low that the other hadn't heard. Especially since Rika had evidently found out who she had been dancing with.

'What was that?' Koji asked.

'You're parents,' he said, slightly louder.

The boy blinked, suddenly on guard. 'How did you know my mother?' He had used the word in plural, and he had only his father now.

The other had picked up on the past tense. 'Did?'

The wolf glared. 'She died when I was three.'

The sphinx suddenly became stock still. 'He told you-' He cut himself off, before shaking his head again. 'I'm sorry.'

'Huh?'

But the other had already slipped into the crowd again.

He wasn't letting this go though. No-one ever brought his mother up; it was simply one of those coincidences that never happened. And he wasn't letting it go.

What he hadn't expected was to bump into the sphinx-boy at the door.

Where his father was standing. With a woman he was only vaguely familiar with.

'Dad?' he asked, surprised. 'Why are you here?'

Kousei Minanoto looked curiously at the other boy who had frozen again, before looking to his own son. 'You forgot your phone at home,' he said, opening his palm and revealing the black cell phone. 'And I thought you'd like to know that-'

He stopped, before exchanging a glance with the woman beside him. 'This is Satomi. We would have waited till later, but we're not going back home tonight. So-' He took a deep breath, readying himself for an explosion, before continuing. 'We're getting engaged.'

'You're what?' But it wasn't Koji who said that. It was the other boy, sounding somewhere between anger and horror. 'You give up on Mum?And now you're...you're...?'

Koji simply stared. So did the other two. But Zoe, having seen the commotion and forcing her way through the crowd with Takuya at her heels, was now looking at the scene with a disturbed look on her face.

'Oh no,' she muttered, looking between the adults and the kids, before doing a double-take at the brown-haired woman. 'Talk about horrible timing.'

Kousei looked closely at the boy in the sphinx getup, a slight recognition dawning on his face.

But before he could get the name out, the other had cast his mask down and ran back through the crowd again.

Koji could have sworn he saw a face like his, with the beginnings of tears forming, before it vanished.

* * *

><p><span>Post Author's Notes<span>

More masks:

Rosa: the not-so-cowardly lion from the Wizard of Oz (after he got his courage) (it's actually the only not-digimon mask mentioned)

Zoe: Kazemon

Matt: Garurumon

Kouji: Lobomon

Yolei: Aquilamon

Sora: Garudamon

Koichi: AncientSphinxmon/Raihmon

Kari: Nefertimon

Rika: Renamon

Ryo: Cyberdramon

Random skull kid: Skullsatamon

As for why Zoe had never realised why the twins looked similar even when knowing them both separately, it's sometimes hard to see similarities when separate. They look different enough when they're not side by side, so it simply never occurred to her that the two were related. Black hair is pretty common in Japan, and Koji's hair is a shade or few darker than Koichi's.

And to add confusion to Koichi and Ken, they met each other in Mexico too. Remember the Digimon World Tour from Season Two. I just sent Yolei instead of Matt.

They do tend to look and have a little similar mannerisms, but it was Koichi who was Zoe's date. I suppose the Mexico part mixed people up, but I had the impression that he would be good at languages and arts. It wasn't supposed to be a secret for you readers, more so for the characters themselves...so not much of a field to guess at.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Notes

Well, what's to say? Except Yutaka and Jun get married in the next and final chapter, so that'll be a fun one.

Enjoy.

* * *

><p><span>Masquerade<span>

AU. An interesting encounter has lead to Zoe having a mystery date to the dance. At the same time, JP's struggling with a hopeless crush, Takuya can't sort out his feelings for the blonde, Tommy's getting ready for his brother's marriage and Koji's about to get the shock of his life and thensome...

Izumi O/Zoe & Takuya K

Rating: T

Genre/s: Family/Romance

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 5<span>

'Stupid idiot,' Zoe muttered, scanning the empty corridors. 'It would help if _he_ knew where he was running off to. Or we knew for that matter. And _not_ picked the one building in the school which is like a-' She stopped and let loose a few curses in Italian, before picking up again. '-maze.'

Takuya voiced his agreement, before looking back and finding three more people behind the pair. 'Okay,' he said slowly. 'I can get why Rosa and JP are here, but why the yellow fox?'

'Watch it goggle-brain,' Rika snapped, in the voice she especially reserved for him, Tai, Davis, Ryo and Takato Matsuki. 'And why I'm here is my business.'

'Oh, Rika.' The dragon sweat-dropped, but luckily Zoe turned back to the huddle.

'C'mon,' she snapped, before sighing. 'Does anyone have a faster way of finding a guy who doesn't know his way around the school?'

The red-head sighed. 'Oh, move over.' She slipped to the front of the group before turning down a corridor.

The others looked at each other, before following.

* * *

><p>'What?' Koji breathed, once the other boy had run. The sphinx mask still lay on the floor where the owner had thrown it at his father's feet, and Kousei Minamoto was still staring at that spot. 'W-who?'<p>

Kousei took a deep, almost shaky breath, before quietly excusing himself from his fiancé-to-be. 'I need to make a phone-call to find my ex-wife,' he said softly, and Satomi nodded.

His son however picked up the apparent contradiction, as something in that sorrowful and guilty expression clicked. 'You said Mum died!' he shouted, causing those couples nearest to the entrance to stare, before the teenage wolves suddenly started pounding in some rock after the more classical pieces, making it impossible to hear anything more than ten feet away. Someone up on the stage must have noticed the family issues; probably Matt, who now had Pegasus by his side. Presumably TK, seeing as there was a blonde in a flowered mask on his arm.

Not that the three had noticed. Nor Sora, who had followed Takuya and Zoe till the point they were now at.

Koji's father simply looked down in shame. 'There's a lot we lied about, and didn't tell. And apparently, there's something I'm missing too.'

He looked his son in the eye, removing the wolf's facade to reveal the hurt boy underneath. 'Let me make this phone call, and I'll explain everything. Okay?'

Koji wasn't thrilled with the arrangement, but he was well aware of the scene they were causing, so it was either a calm and collected conversation or embarrassment of a few parts, with a few matters of pride on the line, considering the band had finished the song and were preparing for a new, and perhaps slightly tamer, one.

'Fine.'

And that was the best anyone could hope for.

* * *

><p>Rika swung open a seemingly random door towards the end of the hall, before pointing at the boy curled against the wall. 'This is the only classroom in the building not locked,' she stated flatly, rolling her purple orbs. 'Not the best place to hide.'<p>

The boy looked up, tears streaming down his face, before it hardened. 'Like I would know.'

'Yeah,' the girl retorted. 'Like you'd know how you hurt your father by leaving the way you did.'

Everyone in the room stared at Rika.

'H-how'd you find out?' Zoe stuttered, looking between her and Koichi, whose blue eyes had widened slightly as the truth of the other's statement hit him.

The red-head martial artist rolled her eyes. 'How else would he know a woman that's Minamoto's mother and dead for ten years?'

'She's not dead,' Koichi muttered, returning his gaze to his knees and gritting his teeth in a motion of anger. 'He lied to him.'

Rika sighed irritably and looked between the newly formed couple. 'How about the whole story? Since Mr Doom and Gloom doesn't seem to be in the mood to show and tell.'

Takuya, Zoe and Rosa exchanged glances, before the glare aimed at the three made them reconsider (seeing as Koichi had neither affirmed nor denied the suggestion, leaving it fair game).

So they explained the story.

And Rika sighed again, before leaning down in front of the other boy and slapping him, causing the other's head to strike the wall with a small 'thud.'

'What was that for?' the remaining two girls cried out, Zoe tempted to strike the red-head herself but keeping herself in check seeing as the other was a black belt and could kick her butt in any sort of physical fight. Rosa however had no such knowledge nor inhibitions...but luckily JP caught her before the other turned her into pudding. Or soup.

Koichi did nothing, simply staring in slight shock at the set purple eyes as their owner talked.

'Your father wasn't the only one who lied. Your mother never told you about a brother, did she?'

The boy shook his head.

'When the lawyers asked your father for custody, was it temporary or permanent?'

He hesitated, before answering. 'Temporary.'

'What makes you think he wasn't simply afraid of losing you again?'

Koichi looked down. 'He already has a son, he doesn't-'

'Don't make me slap you again,' Rika interrupted. 'My parents are divorced too. I hated my father because he would never see me, never call or anything...until I realised I had never made an effort myself. Turned out he was simply scared that I'd hate him and that would be the end of his daughter. He would rather have kept me at a distance than not know me at all. But that's changed now. I may not have had a sibling, but I've got that much.'

The other still didn't say anything, his expression set in stone.

'You're angry because you think he abandoned you,' the girl continued. 'It could have been he didn't know how sick your mother really was. No-one did. Did anyone ever tell him afterwards? Does he even know now, when you yelled at him for abandoning her? Doesn't it bother you that _you're_ the one throwing away what could be a second chance? That you're the one abandoning him now? And what about Koji? Or that woman? How do you think _they're_ handling this?'

Koichi looked at the floor, voice trembling slightly. 'I-I...'

The girl fixed him with an icy stare, before Takuya suddenly fell from the desk e had perched himself on.

'Whoops,' he said sheepishly, before the red-head turned red. Whether it be from anger or the audience she had in the once-in-a-lifetime personal spill, no-one was quite sure. And no-one really wanted to find out as she stalked out of the classroom.

So they simply returned their attention to Koichi, still curled up against the wall and staring at the floor.

'Koichi?' the blonde-turned-purple asked, slightly hesitantly after Rika's little tirade.

'I was angry,' the boy whispered hoarsely. 'I never thought about how he _felt_...'

The four remaining exchanged glances, before looking at Koichi again. 'Just talk to him,' JP suggested, getting three odd looks in return. 'What? What else do you suppose he do?'

'Well...' Takuya began, before stopping when he pulled up empty. 'I just wish I could _do_ something.'

'Weren't you the one who said it was a family matter?' Zoe asked.

'Well, yeah.'

'And besides,' the beetle pointed out, looking specifically at the ex-sphinx. 'I may not have known you for all that long, but I don't think there's any way you could sit on the sidelines in a fight you feel you should be a part of.'

'JP's right,' Rosa nodded, pointing at the mask she wore. 'Remember when you tried to make the cowardly lion from the wizard of Oz and wound up accidently making it not-so-cowardly? You know what you have to do and I know you can. You're afraid, and I'll bet your father is afraid too, but no-one's going to get past a cycle of fear, pain or anger unless someone steps forward. And to be honest, I don't believe you ever truly hated him. The Koichi I know isn't capable of that.'

'Yeah...' the boy murmured. 'You're right. All of you.'

And a small smile graced his face as he brushed the lingering salt tracks away.

'Do wash your face first,' Takuya said. 'Bad image.'

They all laughed, if a little awkwardly. Even if some of them barely knew each other.

'Aargh, you guys took all there was to say out of my mouth,' Zoe whined suddenly.

They laughed harder, until Koichi broke off with a wince.

'What is it?' Zoe panicked shrilly, before Rosa shushed her.

'Migrane,' she answered darkly for her friend, who was rubbing his temples with one hand and digging through his inside pocket for the prescription meds with the other. 'From his tumble down the stairs. That girl slapping him probably jarred his head.'

'Just don't try to kill her,' Takuya said nervously. 'She'll flatten you first.'

* * *

><p>'I made a lot of mistakes Koji,' Kousei said sadly. 'Your mother and I, we were in love when we married, and when we had the two of you, we thought we were the happiest parents in the world. But somewhere down the track we fell out of love, and we eventually agreed on a divorce. The Japanese court dictates that when there is two children, each parent takes one. So I took you, and your mother took your brother.'<p>

'Brother?' Koji repeated, looking torn. 'I...have a brother.' He suddenly gritted his teeth as his eyes narrowed. 'You're not lying again, are you?'

'What would I get about lying about that?' his father pointed out. 'I told you your mother died because it was easier. With my job shifting us all over the place, it was rather difficult to stay in touch, so Tomoko and I agreed not to. But I didn't want you to think she had abandoned you in any way, so...'

All that time thinking his mother had been dead, all that time at a grave (fake, he thought bitterly) and staring at an old photograph...his mother had been alive, somewhere else?

'Anyway...' Kousei let go of that track and continued with his story as Satomi gave the two some space. They were still at the edge of the masquerade, with the teenage wolves hitting another rock musical. 'A lawyer rang me a few years back, asking if I could take temporary custody of Koichi until Tomoko got out of the hospital. I couldn't imagine how I was going to explain having lied to you, or how he would have reacted, or whether or not he hated me. I guess I know now for sure.' He shook his head a little, before continuing. 'I figured both of you would be happier if I didn't. So I said no. I hadn't heard anything since, but when I phoned the hospital she had been at, they told me she hasn't been out of the hospital since.'

'That's...it?'

'That's it,' Kousei affirmed. 'Except that...' His eyes drifted to the mask still at his feet, before picking it up. 'That was Koichi. Wearing this mask. And I don't know what's going to happen now.'

Koji was silent, staring at his feet as he processed all the information.

'I guess...I understand,' he said finally. 'Mind you, I'm still mad that you couldn't tell me the truth...but you had the right to do what you thought was best. I guess I'll have to get used to having a twin and an alive mother.'

He looked up. 'Can I go see her?'

His father nodded.

'And Koichi?' he pressed. 'What about him?'

'He already has a guard-'

'I don't,' Koichi's voice interrupted them, face cleaned from its tear tracks and expression slightly uneasy. 'That's why I'm here.'

An opportunity for a circle to loop elsewhere...

'Then you're staying with us,' Kousei said. 'And I'm not taking no for an answer this time. From myself...or anyone else. And if you're not going to do it for me, at least do it for your brother.'

The twins looked at each other, a tale of betrayal and pain flashing between, before they both nodded.

...taken this time.

Koichi took a hissing breath through his teeth as his father conversed with his fiancé-to-be. 'P-Papa?' he asked hesitantly, trying to steel himself for something he needed to say.

The other looked at him, sorrow and guilt in the gaze.

'I-I never really hated you.'

There, he had said it...even if the last few words had garbled themselves.

And his father was letting a wide smile of relief form on his face. 'Come here,' he said, pulling his sons, both of them, into a tight hug, ignoring Koji's surprised squeak...

...and not noticing the numerous curious stares they were receiving.


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Notes

And that wraps up this little fic. Hope you all enjoyed.

A big thank you to everyone who's read and reviewed and stuck with a hopeless romantic (aka. me). And an additional thanks to Kaito Lune for her help with some of the dates for the masquerade.

Grades for the characters in this fic are at the end as I said in the first chapter.

Enjoy the conclusion.

* * *

><p><span>Masquerade<span>

AU. An interesting encounter has lead to Zoe having a mystery date to the dance. At the same time, JP's struggling with a hopeless crush, Takuya can't sort out his feelings for the blonde, Tommy's getting ready for his brother's marriage and Koji's about to get the shock of his life and thensome...

Izumi O/Zoe & Takuya K

Rating: T

Genre/s: Family/Romance

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 6<span>

Tomoko Kimura stirred faintly, before opening her eyes to find an identical set of blue.

'Hi mum,' Koichi grinned at her.

'Koichi? You-' Her eyebrows furrowed. 'Am I dreaming?'

'Nope,' the boy grinned, hugging her gently. 'I'm really here.' The grin faded into immediate concern. 'Are you okay?'

'Tired,' the sickly woman sighed. 'But otherwise good.' And she looked to be telling the truth too. 'Have I lost track of time, or are you supposed to be in Mexico?'

'Auntie died in a car crash,' he said softly, and a little sadly. The two had gotten to know each other quite well after all. 'She apparently arranged for me to come back here if something happened.'

'I see,' Tomoko said softly, stroking her son's hair, not noting the huddle outside the door. 'Where are you staying now?'

'With Rosa's parents,' her son replied, a little hesitantly. 'But-'

He stopped talking, instead waving a hand to the door. Tomoko followed the hand, before staring in surprise as an almost identical boy walked through the door.

Koichi moved away as Koji froze just inside the door. His mother, his birthmother, was lying on a hospital bed a few feet away.

'Koji?' she said hoarsely, eyes widening. 'Is that really you?'

'It's...me,' the longer haired boy said, all ten or so emotions previously swarming him suddenly on a hurried vacation. 'Mum,' he added, as the woman reached a weak hand to him.

'I never thought I'd see you again...'

Koji looked at Koichi, his brother, as he smiled happily at his mother's joy and nudged him with a jerk of his head.

And so Koji felt his mother's embrace for the first time he remembered.

* * *

><p>'Umm...Onii-san?' Tommy asked hesitantly, watching his mother fussing over his brother. 'Can I invite another family to your wedding?'<p>

'Is there a reason you're telling me this _morning_?' Yutaka asked in a slight panic. Apparently, the magnitude of the fact that he was getting _married_ was starting to hit with the force of a sledgehammer.

'Long story,' the younger sibling said sheepishly. 'Let's just say there was a bit of a family issue that decided to show up yesterday with Koji. He's apparently got a twin brother, who's staying with JP's new "girlfriend" (which he intercepted with air quotes, seeing as they weren't technically official), and they both arrived from Mexico sometime...last week I think. Can they come?'

Yutaka looked at his mother, who shrugged. 'We do have enough seats for a few more guests,' she said warmly. 'Hurry up and phone them honey.'

Tommy ran off to call Koji's cell, then Zoe soon after to thank her for the quick heads up.

* * *

><p>The actual wedding was done in one of the Shinto shrines in Shibuya, and only family was present and all legalities were done by noon. But the reception party later that afternoon was not quite as tame, but Yutaka and Jun Himi, the new couple, looked noticeably happier and relieved since the (hopefully last) chance for second-guessing the new level of their relationship had passed with no mishaps.<p>

Most of the females present were in kimono; actually all were, except Zoe and Rosa, the latter who didn't even own a kimono and was instead in a purple cocktail and the former more comfortable in her Italian silk.

The males were only slightly more casual, split between black tuxedoes and suits...save the groom himself, in a male wedding kimono and sitting on the stage with Jun by his side in a rose pink iro-uchikake. Guests spoke, the couple were congratulated, people sang...including, to the amusement of his friends, a song by Tommy. Someone had been sensible enough not to let Davis up on stage to do the same. Probably his parents. Or his sister.

It was fairly large for a Japanese reception, because it seemed that Yutaka and Jun (namely due to their brothers') knew quite a few families, and most were eager to wish them well.

Despite that, they managed to get most of the formalities done by dinner time, so after the meal, the new couple descended from the stage to light the candles as the sun set outside, and thank their guests.

Yutaka's first stop was his younger brother and his friends, two whom he didn't recognise, and who Tommy had just started to get acquainted with.

They had been talking about a boy's feat of getting his ex-girlfriend back, by dressing up as a worm to be eaten by a fiery red bird at yesterday's masquerade. Interesting way to ask for forgiveness, he mused, amused.

'On, Onii-san,' Tommy gasped, turning around suddenly and finding his brother behind him, Jun still on her arm, though now in a navy blue.

Then he remembered the two the pair didn't know. 'Oh yeah. This is Rosa Hernandez.' He pointed at the brunette at JP's side, who bowed a little clumsily, apparently still learning Japanese customs and saying something in Spanish, until Takuya on her other side nudged her. The girl blushed, and repeated the introduction in Japanese.

He then turned to the boy. 'And this is Koichi Kimura. Koji's twin I told you about.'

The raven haired boy, looking remarkably similar to Koji (especially since he was in a borrowed suit), bowed too.

Yutaka's burrow furrowed slightly at the vaguely familiar face. He had a photographic memory, and he was fairly certain he'd seen that boy (not his brother) about...six years ago? 'Did I know you around six years ago?' he asked, piecing the memory together. 'In the central library? Always curled up with a book until you moved somewhere?'

Koichi shrugged. 'I've got a memory like a train-wreck,' he admitted. 'We might have, but I'm afraid I don't remember.'

'You have,' Zoe, beside him, laughed. 'Remember when you couldn't reach the science fiction books because they put them on the top shelf?'

The boy blinked, before shaking his head. 'No. I don't.'

The blonde sighed. 'You wouldn't. That train-wreck analogy is an exaggeration though.'

'It's not,' Rosa corrected. 'Head injury. Funny thing is, it's only personal memories. Academics are fine.'

Zoe glared at the boy in question. 'What else did it do?'

He shrunk slightly under the gaze. 'Nothing.'

The girl in the cocktail grinned. 'He can still speak five languages fluently.'

'Five?' Takuya gaped, and all save the two who had known him for years looked surprised. 'Seriously?'

'Yep.' Both girls grinned as Koichi blushed. 'Japanese, English, German, Italian and Spanish.'

'German?' Tommy asked. 'I thought you came from Mexico.'

'I'm one quarter German,' he explained, still blushing, and much to Koji's surprise. 'Maternal grandmother.'

'And why Italian?'

'Zoe and her parents taught me. Then I continued it in Germany.'

'How come I never knew any of that?' Koji asked, interrupting Takuya's tirade of questions.

Everyone save the twins shrugged helplessly, and the married couple parted.

'You two might as well play twenty questions,' the brunette grinned. 'You've got how many years to catch up on?'

Koji rolled his eyes. 'Why waste time on the past? It's bad enough my little family suddenly doubled in a night.'

'You know,' JP commented. 'You seem...well, happier, than I expected. I would have thought you'd blow a casket with getting a stepmother, not to mention the whole 'brother-you-didn't-know-about' fiasco. But you're rather cool.' He gave Koichi a bit of a knowing look. 'I would have thought _you'd _be more level-headed.'

Koji shrugged. 'Well, I wasn't the one who thought my father abandoned me,' he pointed our reasonably. 'But I've always wanted a brother I could protect.'

'I'm older,' the other deadpanned, giving him an odd look. 'That's my job.'

'And he can cook,' the younger grinned. 'Unlike me or Dad. So we finally got a home-cooked breakfast, seeing as he spent the night. And for your information _Takuya_, we spend practically the whole night talking...that is, after we finished with Dad.'

'You know,' the goggle-wearing brunette missing his goggles commented. 'That's the most you've talked, even with us. Having a brother has already turned out for the better. And it's only be a day.'

'Don't worry,' Koichi sighed good-naturedly. 'I'm not creating a monster.'

'Nope.' The boy grinned. 'You're creating a human being.'

'Hey!' the boy under scrutiny exclaimed, as the others chuckled.

'By the way,' Zoe grinned, taking the 'teasing Koji' a step further. 'I saw you dancing with Kari later. The white sphinx. Forming a crush?'

'What? No!'

'Then why the exclamation?'

She smirked, satisfied at the flustered boy, before turning to his twin. 'You find a girl?'

'Rome wasn't built in a day Z,' Koichi returned. 'What's with the sudden obsession between you two and me finding a girlfriend anyway?'

The two looked at each other, before simultaneously replying. 'It's fun to tease,' they said, before Rosa added something in Spanish.

'She said 'what happened to the water nymph I danced with twice?'' the multilingual boy translated, before anyone asked.

Zoe immediately groaned. 'You danced with Chiaki? Twice?'

'Chiaki?' he repeated. 'That girl you're rivals with?'

'Unfortunately, yes.'

He flushed slightly at that. 'She didn't seem as bad as you made out. She was actually quite nice.'

'Because you were getting the biased view,' Teppei Inari popped up suddenly. 'Chiaki paints Zoe in the same colours.' He started suddenly, realising he didn't recognise the other. 'Who are you anyway?'

'Koichi Kimura.' He bowed in introduction, and the brunette bowed back.

'I'm Teppei Inari. I'm on Takuya's soccer team.' He exchanged views with his captain, before letting a smirk grow on his face. 'I hear you're a drifter. Staying in Japan?'

The twins exchanged glances, before he nodded. 'Yeah, I think so.'

'Good.' The smirk widened, before he suddenly crossed personal boundaries and grabbed the other's wrist. 'Chiaki can't stop talking about you. So let's go and get you two lovebirds set up.'

This time Koichi was blushing. Which sent Rosa into peals of laughter, as Zoe wasn't quite sure where she should sit with the situation.

Koji however groaned. 'If she becomes my sister in law, I'm getting insurance.'

'You'll need it,' Takuya agreed. 'Unless those two stop their ongoing cat-fight.'

Zoe snorted. 'Like that'll ever happen.'

'Oh come on, can't you at least try?' JP protested. 'And besides, they just met.'

'So did you and her,' Zoe countered, pointing at Rosa. 'And the two of you were almost down each other's throats.'

The two went red. 'We were nothing of the sort.'

'Oh, so you didn't kiss?'

'No!'

Not that anyone believed them, especially as Rosa turned to take a step towards a passing waiter and a cool drink and tripped over her heels.

Right on top of JP.

'Well,' the blonde grinned, internally chortling at fate's hand. 'That should fix it.'

And it did. Whether that counted as a first kiss or not was anyone's guess.

That was, of course, assuming the unofficial couple had been telling the truth.

* * *

><p><span>Author's Notes<span>

All right, grades:

6th grade: Kari, Davis, TK, Catherine, Meng Poi, Tommy, Nat-chan

7th grade: Takuya, Zoe, Koji, Chiaki, Teppei

8th grade: Ryo, Rika, Takato, Jeri, Henry, Yolei, Kazu, JP

9th grade: Tai, Sora, Mimi, Matt

Shinya is still in elementary school (4th/5th grade), but he was only mentioned as a side in any case.

As for Koichi, no idea. Since he's crossed three time zones in the past fourish years. It depends on how their schools work as to what grade he's in. But as he's not technically a Japanese student, it doesn't matter.

I think Ken would apologize whether or not it was his fault. He was dressed as Wormmon. You know, bird (Yolei) eating worm analogy? I just thought it was cute.


End file.
